


Autumn Wind Take Me Away

by HeckJustBirds



Category: Original Work
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-20
Updated: 2018-08-20
Packaged: 2019-06-30 02:36:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,774
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15742410
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeckJustBirds/pseuds/HeckJustBirds
Summary: Original work :P just wanted to post here in case anyone likes it!In the way of updates i have no real upload times other then whenever! (sorry!!)I plan to hopefully one day finish this off because i love the characters and ideas so far!





	1. Chapter 1

With eyes the colour of the sky dancing above her, Mila swayed along with the trees in the fresh autumn wind. She could not tear her eyes away from the little yellow fruits that hung far from her reach, much like the silver clouds rolling away on the autumn breeze. How she wished on each flower’s petal planted on the grounds before her each different colour in a different row, that she too could be swept away along with the autumn wind, far far away and into the breeze. She closed her eyes briefly just for a moment, having counted each of the yellow fruit over and over twice now. They were lemons, as bitter as anything with a taste like seawater foul and unbearable. The faerie caretakers grew the bitter tree’s, bitter as themselves. Why they bothered to grow the dreadful things out of season, to waste their magic on such things was beyond thought to Mila, but to have magic was to have choice. The choice to do with it as one pleased, as was the way of the fairies it seemed. Those brief moments when her eyes were closed and the bird chatter all she could hear, could she truly give in to the autumn wind. However there was always that all too familiar heavy toll of ancient tower bells dragging her back into herself. They rang once, twice and then three times. Just like they always did, calling and beckoning her back to her fate, a reminder of her contract carved viciously into in the ancient stones that bordered the high lords palace grounds. Few trees had been left to wilt in the oncoming autumn season, the ground below them littered with flecks of colour red, orange, yellow and even pink. The grounds keeping fairies were always very precise as to how the grounds were to be kept, growing volcanically furious at any disruption no matter how trivial in size, though much to Mila’s enjoyment, though however brief it was, she enjoyed doing just that. Kicking a stone out of it’s precisely placed location on her way back to the servants quarters was a small rebellious action she found very fitting for those petty, shrieking fairies. Sometimes it was more than just one, or two stones.. Usually a lot more. It brought her a relief to an anger she did not know was piling up inside of her until it was finally released like a great dragon breathing out all the fire it had to give, it did not matter how small the action was it brought her a cooling sense of calm, of control. This afternoon was a partially terrible afternoon as it had not stopped at merely just stone kicking like it often did. No, tonight was the festival of the blue moon. An annual welcoming for the night sky in which the moon glowed blue and stars shone brighter than usual and the official end of summer came to an end. It was one of the few nights in the year she finally felt at peace, her heart could settle and her soul could breathe. How she longed for these deep breathes in her sea of pain, she could often feel the waves crashing over her tormenting her with their power and her weakness over them. However, due to some.. Unnamed and unjustified reason she would not be allowed to attend it, the one thing she had ever dared to dream for. She’d spent most of the afternoon watching the fae people setting up the nights events and the humans darting out of range of the long legged wooden caretakers, as vicious as they looked with their hooded figures they held a kindness unrivaled by many of the fae she had meet here but maybe that was just because they did not speak. There were tables the length of houses that would seat lords and ladies with glittering dresses to match the glittering silverware, streamers that matched rainbows and the food… the more that she remembered the more resentful she became. She ripped leaves furiously from the fairies precious lemon trees pushing herself onward, a hard thing to do especially because Mila knew was walking straight into the wolves den and she would do it on her terms and only her terms. She continued her rampage even going as far as to hurl a stone into the long man-made lake trailing down from the largest fountain on the property, the fairies hated entering the water it would take them a week to finally rid the lake of the meer pepple. Mila could only rejoice in how it would anger the fairies who clicked their fingers and the orchards were clean, who glared down at the earth children, as they spat and barked to insult them for their seemly barbaric nature compared to that of the fairies. Mila grew closer and closer to the servant quarters door, it was small, tiny even but none the less… worrying. Those hateful fairies could fix a few stones loose, re sew some broken leaves but Mila would never be able to return to herself, and the way she had lived before. It was her only wish, her only dream but that was all it ever was and would ever be. 

The servant quarters were often silent, at least at the times Mila came through but she kept her head down in case. Her eyes glued to the pale concrete floors she moved as fast as she could without attracting attention. The concrete floors were miserable and icy cold, Mila never wore shoes for both reasons that she didn’t have any and that she came to enjoy it. The feel of grass between her toes or the feel of each little stone, but there was none of that here. Just cold unforgiving concrete. Mila could have closed her eyes and drifted through the room for how well she knew the way even in the dark, so many times she’d sunk in after nightfall to finally crawl into her bed. Although how many times she’d been caught… she did not forget. She kept her ears wide open glancing over kitchen tops and under tables, it was too lucky that there was no one anywhere in the servant’s quarters but Mila didn’t believe that she could ever have such luck. The silence was unnatural her earlier anger and frustration gone, out like a match and in its place. Fear. Mila didn’t dare breathe she knew deep in her bones that there was someone, waiting for her to slip up. She felt goosebumps all the way down her back, the once pleasant room had turned ice cold. There just in the corner of her eye, she saw him. She almost lept out of her skin, there he was waiting in the shadow of a hallway. Tears escaped her, streaking slowly down her face she didn't even realise she was trembling shaking with her fear. A low merciless crackle drifted from that hallway, all the way towards her. It hit her like a brick, her feet frozen where she stood. Slowly the dark figure crept closer, the crackling turned into a throaty laughter. Mila had never more in her life wanted nothing but to crawl up in a ball sobbing and beg for the comfort of a mother she did not have. “Hello dear” he purred “I haven't heard from you in while have I?” Luka Sterwost, the High Lords most personal assistant and lap dog as mila prefered, came to a stop before her, lifted his hand and wiped the tears right off her face. Instantly there were red flashing alarm bells ripping through her mind, screaming at her to move, to run away. However she now knew the reason for the rooms sudden temperature change and he was standing right in front of her, and he’d frozen her to the floor. “Oh poor pet, crying already? I’ve barely even said hello..” Again he purred finishing with a lavish smirk always playing the pretty prince charming. He had her right where he wanted her. Trapped. And Mila knew it. Mila dared not speak until spoken to with Luka, she’d learned the hard way for Luka had a fearsome grin and behind it… daggers. Teeth sharpened like a shark and not afraid to bite. “Well?!” He growled, Mila jumped with fright at his sudden outburst. She could never decide which was more frightening, the pretty charming prince with hidden daggers or the monster that lurked beneath his facade. “Come now darling... “ he pouted, he’d returned to the prince but for how long... she feared it wouldn’t be long. “Do you know why i’ve come? Why i’ve come all the way down into the filthy servants quarters?” He glared his daggers at her, apparently his teeth were not the only weapon he hid. “That's right darling… Just for you” And there it was, the pretty smile. He looked all the world like a fairy tale prince meant to save you from a tower and shower you in flowers and kindness. However Mila knew better then to believe it, a monster smiling was still a monster. Luka not receiving the response he wanted instantly frowned. Mila panicked, Luka was getting bored with her and fast. Quickly she scrambled for something anything that would save her from his wraith. “Ah.. ah where are we go- going this evening? My- my prince?” Her words shook like herself, the only thing that ever seemed to please him was to play along with his prince charming play. She dug deep within her and summoned the best smile she could despite how quickly this was turning south. Luka’s face lit up like a lantern. “Oh? My dear of course, tonight we will be dining with my most esteemed parteron.” He sang like an elegant nightingale. Like an actor. Most esteemed parteron? Luka always spoke in half truths when he played prince but who was this esteemed parteron? With her warped ghost of a smile she asked as kindly as she could. “Oh? Your most esteemed parteron? Remind me... Have I met them?” He whistled long and high. The monster returning gripping his face and those sharp teeth came loose. “Oh yes.. My most esteemed parteron… The High Lord Of The Spring lands.”


	2. A Chilling Frost and Ice Cold Eyes

Mila had felt her soul leave her body the moment Luka told her what they were doing. She couldn’t feel her legs moving as they climbed the grand staircase. Higher and higher.. But to what? To an outsider The Spring Palace was breathtaking even Mila had to agree. Each stand of the stair rails had been beautiful adored with bushels of roses, tulips and lilys woven through dutifully by maids. They changed colour occasionally, from pink to red or light orange. The carpets draping the grand staircase were even purple, a very impressive display of wealth. An absurd one really considering how expensive purple dye was... A few drops was enough to feed a village for years. However the carpet was beautiful just like everything about the Spring court. At least on the outside. Mila felt like a ghost, drifting. Still somewhat inside her body traveling up those stairs but she was also outside of it. Unfeeling and lost without thought. A feeling she’d become all too familiar with. See could feel Luka in front of her leading the way, grinning ear to ear. She’d been handed off to maids, she’d been bathed for the first time in weeks, she’d had her hair fixed and then she’d been dressed up like a princess or rather a pretty play doll. Luka had been quite accustomed with the mystery of Missing Mila by now, the magic that had frozen her in place before now guided her legs forward. The biting cold of his frost was ever present, taking bites of her every now and then. A very clear reminder that she had now had only 30 seconds to return to herself or else he would take matters into his own hands. Luka hummed cheerily a count for each step, she was running out of time. She closed her eyes and desperately tried to figure out what in the world was going on. Had she done something? Something worse than usual? She opened her eyes and counted all the things she could see. Stairs, carpet, flowers, Luka, Dress, Shoes, Blood, Socklings… Blood? Mila’s eyes flew open, wide with panic and just like that she was instantly back and aware of the very real danger of just who and where they were going. There were blood stains on the carpet, she’d walked right over them. She tried to stop and look back but Luka chuckled, his hold firm on her legs. “Oh, you saw that? Ah I thought you were still ‘gone’... Hmmm nothing like fresh blood in the afternoon to wake you up..” He purred flashing his teeth behind him at Mila. Fresh Blood?! Mila sucked in air and forgot how to breathe for the second time this evening. “Oh look, were here.” Luka whistled in his prince charming voice turning to her with a sweet smile. They'd reached the top of the stairs. And there Mila found the source of the blood. It was a river, a pool, the floor was flooded. The carpet was supposed to be purple not red. Mila’s soul didn't leave her this time, it was her mind. All thought had vanished and she could only stare. She grasped for anything, begging desperately for just a reaction maybe a scream or a wail of despair. But there was nothing, just this sea of blood right in front of her. She was a fish gasping for water. The alarm bells weren’t even ringing, she just had an uneasy feeling of wrong. Mila couldn’t feel her lungs, was she even breathing anymore? “Luka, you’re late.” said a low growl of a voice, a voice that haunted her, a voice that knew. Slowly Mila raised her head to meet the yellow eyes of a beast, The Lord of Spring, Lucian Ayres. “Evening Mila, I suppose you’ve been well? Or is that just another one of the lies you tell others?” A voice that could see right through her. Mila did not answer nor did she blink her brain had lost the function to process less than a minute ago. “Is it the blood that worries you so? My Mila, it is only wine. Luka felt like redecorating. Ever the drama queen.” He paused. “Of course... I would never lie to you though.” He said all this with a blank straight face, he was impossible to read and she never knew when to take him seriously. He had not lied to her to date, that she knew of at least. Yet wine was hard to believe but.. Wine was easier to deal with at the moment. Slowly Lucian prowled towards the pair and Mila would have fallen right to the bottom of the staircase had Luka not still had control of her legs. Lucian came to a stop before her, and tilted his head to the side like a puppy, eyeing her like a hawk would its prey. He seemed to pause briefly and glanced over to Luka then back to Mila. “You reek of fear, has Luka been mistreating you?” His voice was the calm before the storm and Mila did not know how to respond in the slightest. So she didn’t, she just stood there and pretended to be elsewhere, looking nowhere in particular. Lucian growled turning his full attention to Luka, Mila from the corner of her eye was in no way jealous. “I will speak with you later.” and with one last glare for good measure he growled “Go help in the kitchen.” Luka didn’t need to be told twice that was for sure, he almost ran away from Lucian but he somehow remembered himself and fast walked instead. Mila had tired to keep her eyes far from the conversion but were there tears in Luka’s eyes? Mila’s mind was hastily occupied though as Lucian’s full attention now turned to her. She knew his eyes, and he hers but there was such a great intensity that radiated from them that she had to look away. Lucian quickly opened his mouth as if to say something but it shut again just as quickly. “Shall we dine then?” He asked her holding out his arm for her already turning towards the dining hall. Mila knew better than to believe that he was truly asking rather than telling but she knew even better than to not move. She forced herself to lift her hand to his but she barely touched it with how she held it. She took one last look at the ‘wine’ covering the floor, now that she looked a bit closer it just wasn’t the right colour for blood and knowing how temperamental Luka was she didn’t doubt that he’d been ‘redecorating’ as Lucian had told it. Maybe he hadn’t lied to her, but were half truths lying? Maybe he hadn’t told her the whole story. Mila didn’t have much time to think it though as Lucian whisked her along and into the dinning hall and behind her two large heavy set doors shut with a bang and with them her chance of ever getting out of this mess.


	3. A Feast Fit For Wolves

With her fate sealed and her freedom far out of her reach Mila was just glad to be wearing such a pretty dress. It was a beautiful baby doll pink that reached the floor. She enjoyed the loose fit, and she hadn’t even been forced to wear a corset. But most of all she loved the embroidered lace trimming everything, tiny little birds eating tiny little seeds dressed handsomely in tiny little clothes. It was adorable and her favourite colour, She couldn’t help but wonder who had picked it for her. Out of all the terrible outcomes she guessed that could have happened tonight well, she paused stopping herself, dinner was not over yet and it could still get worse, so, so much worse. Mila observed the room around her looking for any hint of danger, but she couldn’t help but realise how incredibly soft the material of her dress was. It was so gentle on her skin, idly she ran the silky material through her fingers watching as they passed the long dining table and grew more and more confused as they swept further along without Lucian stopping to take a seat, there weren't even any plates set out. It felt like some ridiculous game of duck, duck goose expect that there was no goose. The dining hall table was about the length of two small rooms with well over 40 chairs, Mila knew this as she’d counted them more than once in her previous visits. She’d run her fingers along the little cravings many times. There were miniature flowers the size of peas, she’d always wondered who could possibly have had the patience to crave thousands of them. After they’d passed the final seat Lucian just kept walking with no intention to stop, Mila began to feel suspicious. Had dinner just been a rouse? To bait her into compliance? But it wasn’t like Mila had, had much choice in any case, so why lie about dinner? Nevertheless, above all her doubt and confusion lay curiosity, Lucian did not lie. He’d promised her dinner… perhaps dinner was her?. Mila curiously began to wonder about what a person would even begin to taste like. Lucian finally came to a halt in front of a meagre sized door compared to that of the dining hall. “Were still having dinner in case you were concerned.” He gazed towards her briefly with the smallest hint of a smile. “I wasn’t concerned.” She declared this on an impulse but quickly regretted it. “Really?” Lucian teased in mock surprise. “I wonder whose tummy i can hear rumbling then.” He said as he unlocked the door and held it wide open standing aside for Mila. Desperately Mila tried to scan the room but it was just a bit too dark to see inside, however she could see a dimly lit table. “Well?” Lucian asked waiting. Mila glanced up at him, in his eyes she found a predator, a wolf ready to gobble up the Christmas goose. There wasn’t any getting out of this Mila thought sullenly and the only thing keeping her from tears was the ghost of hope for a good dinner. She walked in step by step just waiting for the door to slam behind her locking her in. However, the door didn’t slam, no lock either. Instead, the door gently closed behind Lucian as he too made his way into the small room. He drew a chair for Mila and waited until she sat down before gently pushing it in. Mila idley observed Lucian as he took the chair opposite to her. Dinner, thankfully had already been set out and with it, three plates. The third plate Mila guessed was supposed to be Luka’s. “You may eat.” Lucian said simply, picking up his fork and bringing meats and vegetables to his plate among other things. Mila watched him fill his plate, despite her very empty stomach. As he picked some potatoes and decided between carrots Mila began to filter through what had happened in the last half hour. She’d been expecting the groundskeeper fairies to be up in arms, teasing and gloating about the festival instead she’d found no one waiting for her save for Luka. Always an end to a beginning with him. Then it was to be a dinner date, which she’d been thoroughly bathed and dressed for, the ‘wine’ and now this. Alone in a very small room with the most powerful and high ranking person in a good four hundred kilometres, having dinner. Mila idly looked up from her plate in which she’d only just now realised she’d been death staring at, only to find that Lucian was watching her very intently. She quickly picked up her fork and picked some slices of meat into her plate. “I’ve asked you here this evening because i wanted to remind you of my offer.” Lucian spoke as he’d just finished filling his plate to his liking. “My offer still stands Mila.” She could feel his eyes boring a hole the size of a small planet into her forehead but she did not look up to him. Once every month without fail Lucian ‘invited’ her for dinner were he would yet again offer his promise. Mila immediately began to stuff her face with whatever she pleased, trying desperately to dissuade this conversation. Usually Lucian held the dinner in the hall, she’d never seen this room before. Something must have changed. The thing about this promise was that Mila did not want it and did not care about it. However, Lucian on the other hand as apparent to his monthly calls, did. With her mouth full there was no hope of her responding any time soon, Lucian sighed audibly and just began to eat. If it was to be a waiting game then so be it, he could wait. They both ate in silence for a long time. Mila couldn’t have been happier, a beautiful dress and wonderful meal. At a great price she knew, but that was a problem for future her right now. The room really was tiny and very badly lit, she could only really make out the table and its contents and the shadow of Lucian’s face which was considerably more scary than usual. Quietly after some time Mila put down her fork. Lucian immediately looked up from his plate which he’d been glaring at while waiting for her to finish. Both watched one another, but it was Mila who broke the silence. “Why?” She said simply, a new answer. Mila had known Lucian for almost half a year now and every month since her arrival he had asked her, and each month without fail Mila had declined. Lucian had a reputation among the season courts and it wasn’t for handing out flowers and smiles. He was the red wolf of spring, a ruthless killer at the head of an unstoppable army. The purple carpet really was a bizarre way to flaunt about his richness considering how rare it was, but it was a very eye catching representation of his spoils of war. Mila had not been born to a court but rather to a small tribe of earth children, what the fae loved to call humans. About half a year ago her village had been burned to the ground and along with it her family, the only reason she had not joined them was because Lucian had rescued her. He’d claimed that he had heard her calling to him all the way from his court, how he’d heard her she still didn’t understand and neither it seemed did Lucian. Until he’d had her looked over by summoners and learnt that Mila was his Dusha, his soul bond. Lucian sat upright, she hadn’t declined instantly, was she finally ready to speak to him about his offer? “Why?” He repeated. Mila could tell her answer had surprised him, something she didn’t think happened to him often. He seemed to take a moment, Mila could have sworn she could see the cogs in his brain moving, what was so important about his promise anyway? She brought her glass of wine to her lips, taking an experimental sip. Fairy wine was so different from the bitter, disgusting wine of the humans she was familiar with, it was instead sweet and had the soft distinctive taste of daydreams. However, Mila knew better than to think that Lucian would offer her “real” fairy wine, this was instead a watered down version, the real version she didn’t even want to think about what it would do to her human body. Finally, Lucians expression changed from a look of deep thought to mild agitation, a look that wasn’t by any means out of place on him. “You know why this is important.” he said putting his wine glass down. “Do I really?” She took another sip, “Or is this still about that silly war of yours?” she finished, now quite agitated herself. Suddenly Lucian was up, out of his chair and roaring. His plates went with him and his glass of wine flew to the floor to join them. “How dare you!-” he stopped, took a deep breath. Mila was sitting on the edge of her chair, her toes barely touching the floor, already she was facing the door. Lucian huffed, the flame in eyes extinguishing as he attempted to sit back down. He seemed more angry at himself than her. Mila watched him very carefully from the corner of her eye, not daring to look directly at him, it was times like these, dining alone with him in the quiet, that she forgot the very real danger of the man before her. Why he tolerated even half the things she did were beyond her, but he’d done this before, that first night when she’d respond the same way, his war to her was nothing but it clearly meant something else to him. There had been flames in his eyes, real burning and bright, she’d even felt their heat on her face. However, his explosive rage seemed to be over just as quickly as it had started and he simply picked a new plate filling it in silence. Slowly Mila turned herself back to him, his glass of spilt wine leaking out into that purple carpet was burning a hole into her mind but she just picked her fork back up again and they both resumed their fake dinner. It was a perfect image, a beautiful lady all dressed in baby pink, with her husband sitting across from her in all this armoured glory, they looked the perfect couple. This was what Lucian wanted, had asked her for over and over again, each time only to meet with refusal. It must sound strange to think to decline this, to have refused it even. To live by a war lord's side, to live in both protection and luxury, even though it was not the life Mila wanted for herself she might have accepted it after the second offer, but she knew that it was more that Lucian wanted, sure he wanted a pretty wife to stand by his side, but what he really wanted, was her heart.


End file.
